INNOVATIVE CAMERAS WITH WORLD`S FIRST FRONT AND BLACK LCD SCREENS

1. Link : http://www.dpreview.com/news/0908/09081302samsungst550st500.asp
SAMSUNG UNVEILS ST550(TL225) AND
ST500(TL220) DIGITAL COMPACT CAMERAS –
INNOVATIVE CAMERAS WITH WORLD`S FIRST
FRONT AND BLACK LCD SCREENS
Front and back display helps you take the perfect self portrait
13th August 2009: Samsung Digital Imaging, leaders in innovation and technology,
today announced the arrival of the ultra slim and stylish ST550 and ST500 compact
cameras which boast yet another ‘world first’: front and back LCD display technology.
Delivering an unrivalled user experience, the hidden 1.5” LCD located on the front of
the camera allows consumers to take accurate portraits using the front image as a
guide – whether it’s a group shot with friends or a snap of yourself on holiday. There
is no need to even press the shutter button – just a big smile will trigger the cameras
to take the picture.

2. On the reverse, the Samsung ST550 features the world’s highest resolution 3.5”
wide touch screen LCD* , almost four times the size of many other cameras,
complete with haptic feedback for ease of use.
Complementing this, the 12.2 mega pixel cameras also use the perfect combination
of a 27mm wide angle Schneider KREUZNACH lens with 4.6x optical zoom. This
gives the photographer a wider shooting range from a shorter distance, producing
clear, clean images with even resolution from the centre of the picture right to the
edges.
“These cameras are the very first of their kind,” said Steve Mitchell, General
Manager Marketing, Samsung Digital Imaging Division.
“The use of digital imaging technologies has evolved and we are offering
functionality and capabilities that no other digital camera manufacturer has yet
addressed. These cameras will be must-haves for those individuals that use popular
social networking websites and for families that want to get everyone, including the
photographer, in the picture.”
Smart Gesture User Interface (UI)
Showcasing further innovations, a Smart Gesture User Interface (UI) with built-in
orientation sensor, means a simple tap or hand gesture allows users to access key
features quickly. A simple tap can also turn the front LCD on instantly, ready to take
the perfect self portrait photo.
One touch shooting and Auto-Focus
Sometimes the focal point of your picture is not always in the centre of the frame.
The ST550 and ST500’s One Touch Auto Focus feature allows you to focus on a
different part of the shot by simply touching the desired area. Once you’ve selected
the focal point, you can simply leave your finger on the screen for two seconds or
push the shutter button to take the picture.
Smart Auto (Scene Recognition)
Take professional-looking photos with Samsung’s advanced Smart Auto feature so
you never have to worry about your photos being washed out, too dark or out of
focus. Smart Auto analyses key elements of your composition such as colour,
brightness, motion and subject and then automatically adjusts to take the perfect
shot.
Smart Face Recognition
Samsung’s innovative Smart Face Recognition technology actually remembers faces
it sees frequently and then prioritises them when focussing and exposing future
shots. It can store up to 20 recognised faces in the cameras’ internal memory and
allows users to search for their favourite faces in playback. This can be done quickly
by using the ‘Face’ search in Smart Album, instead of viewing every single photo on
the memory card.
In “Blink Detection Mode” the camera will take a series of shots when closed eyes
are detected so everyone is captured with their eyes open; in “Smile Mode” a picture

3. is automatically taken when smiles are detected and, in "Beauty Shot" mode, facial
skin is retouched to three different user defined levels for brighter and smoother skin
tones.
HD Movie Recording
The ST500 and ST550 record HD video in 1280x720p resolution at 30 frames per
second in H.264 format. This format allows more than twice as much recording
capacity as the MP4 format, so gives you more room on your memory card for
images and movies. The ST550 also features HDMI connectivity via an optional
adapter, so you can see your HD video creations in glorious HD on an HD TV.
Dual Image Stabilization/Perfect Self Portrait & Perfect Self Timer
Samsung’s Dual Image Stabilization technology combines advanced Digital and
Optical image stabilization to ensure outstanding photos without blur – even in low
light conditions. Couple this with the new front facing LCD screen and Samsung’s
Perfect Self Portrait & Perfect Self Timer functions, and taking professional looking
pictures of yourself and others is easy.
The ST500 is available in silver, red and blue colours and the ST550 is available in
black, gold, orange and purple colours. All will be available from leading high street
and online retailers from late August 2009.
Features
Dual LCD Displays
With the Dual LCD on front and back, ST550 and ST500 provide the easiest way to
take the perfect self portrait, either by yourself or with friends or family, every time.
On the front of the camera is a 1.5” LCD that shows you exactly what the picture will
look like, so you can now be a subject of the picture, as well as the photographer.
• When you tap the front LCD, it turns on and automatically goes into Self-Portrait mode,
ensuring that the user will always be framed exactly the way they want. You can also turn on
the front LCD with a simple selection through the intuitive interface. As soon as you smile, the
camera automatically takes the picture. But the Dual LCDs do more.
• In Children mode, the front LCD plays a fun animation to capture a child’s attention while
taking their photo.
• Shutter Info ensures you take a photo of your subject while they’re smiling, the front LCD will
display a “smiley face” when the shutter is pushed halfway thus signalling to the subject they
should smile.
• Function Info helps you to know the features of every function, with the front LCD providing a
visual readout of key camera settings, including whether or not the flash is engaged or if
macro focus is in use.
• With Self-Timer, when taking a group photo using the self-timer, the front LCD will show a
preview of the shot as well as a visual countdown timer so that everyone knows exactly when
the photo will be snapped.
Smart Gesture UI
When it comes to smart, user-friendly features, the ST550 and ST500 are leading
the way. Take for example its innovative Smart Gesture UI with built-in orientation
sensor, which lets you quickly access and use the key features with either a simple
tap or a hand gesture. To turn on the smaller LCD located on the front, simply tap the

4. screen and activates automatically and immediately.
Using other advanced features is just as simple. With the Smart Gesture UI you can
quickly scroll through your photos by slightly tilting the device in either direction or by
selecting the appropriate photos for a slide show. You can also easily delete photos
from your library using Gesture UI by marking a cross (X) on the screen using your
finger or you can simply save your favourite photos into a separate folder.
If you want to rotate the images draw a circle (O) on the screen; if you want to see
the next image you can drag it on to the screen with a sweep of your finger or by
simply tilting the device.
World’s Highest Resolution 3.5” Wide Touch Screen Rear LCD*
The 3.5” wide LCD touch screen located on the back of the ST550 displays the
sharpest images of any camera available today, delivering almost four times more
than many cameras. Unlike other digital cameras, the LCD touch screen uses
Samsung’s unique Haptic technology. That means the camera responds with a slight
vibration and beep whenever you select an option.
12.2 Megapixels CCD, 27mm Wide Angle lens with 4.6x Optical Zoom
Samsung’s ST550 and ST500 come fully equipped with a true colour-filtered 12.2
megapixel CCD and boast a powerful 4.6x Optical Zoom, guaranteeing some of the
sharpest and most detailed images available and allow for the printing of poster-
sized photos. Whether you’re indoors or out, shooting a landscape or friends around
a table, the 27mm wide angle lens plus 4.6x optical zoom give you a wider shooting
range from a shorter distance delivering greater flexibility than 35mm cameras.
Capture images of beautiful landscapes, entire wedding parties and skyscrapers
without having to back up to get the shot. The precisely cut 27mm optical lens from
Schneider-KREUZNACH delivers clear, clean images with even resolution from the
centre to the edges. Each lens surface is multi-coated to minimize ghosting or flaring
for a great shot every time.
Advanced Dual Image Stabilization (IS)
Samsung’s Advanced Dual Image Stabilization (IS) feature allows you to capture
crystal-clear, blur-free shots without using a flash or tripod. The ST550 and ST500’s
true Dual IS combines both Optical and Digital Image stabilizers to produce sharp
images without the confusion commonly found in other cameras. The optical IS
intelligently compensates for hand trembling by shifting the lens in the opposite
direction. When Optical IS isn’t quite enough, the Digital IS automatically takes over
to ensure blur-free images.
HD Movie Recording in the palm of your hand
The ST550 and ST500 are like having a compact HD video camera that also takes
professional-grade photos. They record HD video in 1280x720p resolution at 30
frames per second. Their H.264 format also allows you to record twice as much as
an MP4 and four times more than an MJPG (the format used in many other digital
cameras), delivering much higher video and sound quality. With the ST550’s mini-

5. HDMI connector, you can also now watch your HD videos with any HDTV or HD
monitor.
Smart Auto: shoot like a pro
Take professional-looking photos with Samsung’s Smart Auto feature so you never
have to worry about your photos being washed out, too dark or out of focus. Smart
Auto analyzes key elements of your composition such as colour, brightness, motion
and subject and then automatically adjusts to take the perfect shot.
Smart Album
A 4GB memory card can store over 1,200 12-megapixel photos. That means a lot of
photos to sort through, but with Samsung’s convenient Smart Album feature, you can
quickly scroll through your entire library of images and organize them in the way
that’s best for you. This unique feature allows you to organize photos by Favourite (if
tagged as a “favourite” photo), Face (someone you’ve taken many photos of),
Timeline (date photos were taken), Colour, Content (photos, videos, voice) and
Week.
Perfect Portrait System
Picture-perfect moments at their best
The Perfect Portrait System takes the guess work out of shooting beautiful portraits.
Key features of this system are the Smile Shot and Blink Detection technologies
which automatically detect when your subjects are smiling and have their eyes open
so you capture them looking their best. Another advanced feature is the Red-eye Fix
mode. This in-camera feature automatically fixes the typical occurrences of red-eye
before the photo is produce. That means you don’t have to spend time afterwards
removing red-eyes from your photos.
One touch shooting and Auto-Focus
Sometimes the focal point of your picture is not always in the centre of the frame. In
cases like this, the ST550 and ST500’s One Touch Auto Focus feature allows you to
focus on a different part of the shot by simply touching the desired area. That means
your subject will always be in focus. Once you’ve selected the focal point, you can
simply leave your finger on the screen for two seconds or push the shutter button to
take the picture.
Smart Face Recognition
The ST550 and ST500 feature advanced Face Recognition technology that
automatically stores up to 20 preferred faces to the cameras’ internal memory. While
taking a portrait, the ST550 and ST500 will automatically recognize if one of the
user’s preferred faces is in the frame and identify them as a priority for focus and
exposure. Users can also save time sorting through their photos and instead search
for photos that contain a specific face.
Beauty Shot
Samsung’s Beauty Shot feature lets you remove all the imperfections on your
subject’s face such as wrinkles, blemishes and moles, leaving skin flawless. Simply
select one of the two editing options to even out skin tone and complexion.

6. Photo Style Selector: unleash your creativity
The ST550 and ST500 are designed to help you find your inner artist and shoot
beautiful pictures. With Samsung’s unique highlight feature, you can focus on one
area of your photo and blur everything around it, so turning a normal photo into
something much more complex. Simply select one of the two editing options to even
out skin tone and complexion.
Transform your photos from simple memories to works of art using the Photo Style
Selector feature. Choose from a wide selection of artistic treatments ranging from
classic black and white to something more colourful allowing you to take control of
the colours to be a true artist.
US Pricing and Availability
Availability: September 2009
Price: TL225 $349.99
Price: TL220 $299.99
* At the time of launch
Additional images (TL225/ST550)

7. Additional images (ST500)